How silly , its easy, you buy one of each specimen. Heck, you need a SMLE , an enfield No 5 Jungle carbine, and a No. 4 . Then you add a US m1917 and a British P14. That would be a basic kit
Then later you add a Mauser Gew 98 and K98, then some Russians stuff say a M91 and 91/30. Most likely need a French Mas 36 or Berthier, and a Japanese type 38 and type 99. And you can not leave out the odd ball Carcano and the M95.

What about Savage (US) and Longbranch (Canada)! Also Czech all of central and south america and mexico. Do not want to leave out the Swiss, Swedes and Finns. Little Poland might get mad as well. Belgian maybe one or two from Yugoslavian, the odd one from Siam and or Portuguese, got to have a Turk or two or three. Lets see who are we missing Spain, Austria, Persia, Egypt, Israel and maybe one from Greece but I know I am forgetting someone.

In military configuration, the SMLEs are a little shorter and lighter.
The M1917 weighs closer to 10 pounds or more, with a 26 inch barrel. For just shooting, that helps tame recoil for full-powered .30-06 loads. If you'll be carrying it in the woods for long walks, it'll feel pretty heavy after a while. The SMLE would be a little better for this.
I think the sights are better on the M1917, and for close-in "snap shooting" just center the box made by the front sight protective guards in the "battle" rear sight.
The SMLE has excellent open sights that have a 100 yard setting, while the M1917 battle sight shoots a foot or so high at 100 yards.
The M1917 ladder sight doesn't stick up very high, so it can be carried and used with the "ladder" sight.
Both are great "shooters" so if possible, look at and handle both and select the one you like more.

Arguing with someone who denounces reason is like administering medicine to a corpse.

I would forgo food and shelter for a period of time and buy one of each. I would NOT recommend trying to rehab a sporter, as that would not be cost effective and you are already making decisions based on available funds.

So, give up lotto, lattes, nachos, women, poker, whatever... and buy a nice 1917 (Eddystones are good buys), and perhaps a Lithgow No.1 Mk III or any of the various No. 4 rifles. Check the bores carefully for pitting. Some of these rifles look great on the outside, and have bores like dirty cheese graters.

Sometimes you have to grab the bull by the tail and face the situation.

While my first preference would be to find and restore a M1917, logic and budget suggest that the SMLE is the way to go, IMHO.

Original parts for a M1917 are far more scarce and far more expensive than for a SMLE. You can find and restore a good SMLE for approximately half the cost of a M1917 restoration and do it in half the time as well.

A primo SMLE barrel should be at the top of your examination/acquisition list. As Rapid Rob notes, many SMLE barrels are worn out. Ditto for most of the M1917 barrels I've seen lately. Now, you can buy a Criterion M1917 barrel and have it installed, and it should shoot wonderfully, but it won't be cheap and it won't be original either.

As to inherent accuracy, I have an Enfield No. 4 Mk II and a Remington M1903A3. Both shoot equally well for me at 300 yards. Both are also primo rifles, condition-wise. My preference is age-related; the No. 4 Enfield kicks a whole lot less. YMMV.

Also, there is virtually no .30-06 surplus ammo left on the market. In the commercial market .30-06 and .303 cost about the same. They are also equally easy to obtain. Think PRVI.

72 usmc wrote: ↑Tue Jun 20, 2017 1:34 pm
How silly , its easy, you buy one of each specimen. Heck, you need a SMLE , an enfield No 5 Jungle carbine, and a No. 4 . Then you add a US m1917 and a British P14. That would be a basic kit
Then later you add a Mauser Gew 98 and K98, then some Russians stuff say a M91 and 91/30. Most likely need a French Mas 36 or Berthier, and a Japanese type 38 and type 99. And you can not leave out the odd ball Carcano and the M95.

What about Savage (US) and Longbranch (Canada)! Also Czech all of central and south america and mexico. Do not want to leave out the Swiss, Swedes and Finns. Little Poland might get mad as well. Belgian maybe one or two from Yugoslavian, the odd one from Siam and or Portuguese, got to have a Turk or two or three. Lets see who are we missing Spain, Austria, Persia, Egypt, Israel and maybe one from Greece but I know I am forgetting someone.

Kevinofborg, I like the way you think, thats how at the end, you end up with 100 rifles. That's a lot of rifles your wife has to get rid of, but all good things come to an end. It sure was fun getting/finding them all. The hunt was the most fun over the last 40 years. Then old lady time catches up with ya. We are just curators of the pieces.

To old to fight and to old to run, a Jar head will just shoot and be done with you.

You could get a Pakistan/Indian made SMLE NO1 MKIII in 7.62mm NATO.... A sporterized M1917 should be easy to find. I never liked the sporterized SMLE's though. Save up and just get an intact SMLE No1 MKIII. Go with the classic and never look back. An FTR'd Lithgow is optimal.

SMLE by a SMILE, there are still good ones out there, my n1 mk3, is BSA from 1917/18 and has a beauty of a bore, brother Bob P on this site sold it to me around a year ago. Be patient and wait for the right one, but go for the SMLE first.

You want a shooter. You are in the U.S. 30-06 is everywhere and easily reloaded due to component availability. 303, not so much, but doable. Get the M1917. Aftermarket/sporter stocks (but, do no harm) are out there. Can easily swap out original furniture for hunting season. In addition, I believe M1917s will appreciate in value quicker than commonly available SMLEs.
I have a Remington that I would put up against most modern firearms and Swede Mauser fanboys.
Don't get me wrong-I have many SMLEs and like them, but if I wanted ammo, just a trip to any LGS or Walmart will do for some 30-06.